Title: Chief Executive Officer
Company: Advantage Services Inc.
Location: Tooele, Utah, United States
Robert G. Ferris, Chief Executive Officer at Advantage Services Inc., has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Business Owners for dedication, achievements, and leadership in Business Administration.
Mr. Ferris has demonstrated an illustrious career marked by more than three decades of executive leadership and community service. Since 2014, he has served as the chief executive officer of Advantage Services Inc. (formerly Valley Services Inc.) in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he provides executive leadership for the day-to-day operations of the 501(c)(3) social enterprise dedicated to creating employment pathways for individuals facing barriers to work.
In this capacity, Mr. Ferris leads strategic planning, contract development and compliance, grant writing and administration, and stakeholder partnerships. He directs a workforce of up to 150 employees and oversees an annual budget of $3.5 million, ensuring operational performance across programs, staffing, finance, and service delivery to meet contractual and grant requirements. Mr. Ferris’s responsibilities also include negotiating and administering government and private contracts, establishing processes to support reporting, quality and compliance, leading workforce planning, and hiring for a multisite team serving diverse community stakeholders. Additionally, he focuses on driving continuous improvement across operations, training and technology to increase scalability and consistency. As the public face of the organization, Mr. Ferris represents Advantage Services Inc. with public-sector partners, funders and community coalitions while communicating outcomes and strategic priorities.
Before his promotion, Mr. Ferris was the employment and education department manager at Advantage Services Inc. from 2010 to 2014. During this period, he focused on employment support for the homeless population and individuals reentering society after incarceration.
Mr. Ferris formerly spent over a decade as a developer and computer program manager at Valley Behavioral Health in Salt Lake City between 2002 and 2011. There, he developed a computer training program specifically designed for people with mental health challenges. This initiative gained national recognition for its innovative approach to workforce development. Concurrently, from 2004 to 2008, Mr. Ferris worked as a computer instructor at Horizonte Instruction and Training Center within the Salt Lake City School District, where he contributed to adult education through night school programs.
Between 2001 and 2007, Mr. Ferris held the dual roles of chief executive officer and director of operations at House of Refuge in Salt Lake City. In 2002, he founded a faith-based halfway house that operated until 2006, providing critical support for individuals transitioning from incarceration or homelessness into training programs. This endeavor remains one of Mr. Ferris’s proudest accomplishments due to its lasting impact on vulnerable populations.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Ferris excelled as a system administrator for the City of Paramount in California from 1998 to 2001. His expertise in information technology was rooted in his military background as a staff sergeant in the U.S. Army from 1984 until his medical retirement in 1996. During his military tenure, Mr. Ferris served as a system administrator, instructor and platoon sergeant, roles that provided him with foundational experience in leadership and technical instruction.
Mr. Ferris’s educational journey began after overcoming significant adversity in his youth. Born in Pueblo, Colorado, in 1967 as the middle child of three siblings, he left home at 14 before attending Job Corps in Anaconda, Montana. Mr. Ferris later earned his high school diploma, a credential that laid the groundwork for his future pursuits in both professional and volunteer capacities. Since then, he acquired several certifications that have enhanced his ability to serve diverse communities. He is a Utah State licensed case manager, Utah State certified employment specialist and certified trainer in Microsoft Office.
Beyond his professional commitments, Mr. Ferris has made substantial contributions through civic engagement and volunteerism. For more than 25 years, he has volunteered as a pastor or chaplain at the Utah State Prison and the Tooele County Jail while also coaching youth football for several years with Tooele Buff’s Peewee Football program and basketball with Utah Jr. Jazz. Mr. Ferris has also held numerous titles with organizations like the Utah Independent Living Council, the Utah State Rehabilitation Council, the Salt Lake Valley Coalition to End Homelessness, the Employment and Education Core Function Group and, among others, the Homeless Housing Coordination Council.
An accomplished author, Mr. Ferris’s publication, ‘Community Computer Education Program Curriculum,’ appeared in The Independent in 2002, a testament to his commitment to advancing educational opportunities for underserved populations. Among other accomplishments, he has been recognized for his expertise in nonprofit management, grant writing, curriculum development and technical writing, as well as leadership development, and was credited with developing a nationally recognized computer education program and transforming a struggling nonprofit into a thriving social enterprise. Mr. Ferris attributes much of his success to his faith, a guiding force that has shaped both his personal philosophy and professional trajectory.
Mr. Ferris’s dedication has been showcased through multiple awards, including Most Innovative Program honors from both Valley Mental Health in 2002 and the Office of Substance Use and Mental Health in 2003, a Best of State Award for a notable humanitarian organization in 2013, and a Salt Lake City Community Development Leadership Award in 2019. For his service, Mr. Ferris received numerous military medals recognizing excellence.
Looking ahead, Mr. Ferris is committed to ensuring that Advantage Services Inc. is positioned for continued success under future leadership guided by shared values of compassion and service. He also remains dedicated to supporting communities through pastoral service while establishing a legacy defined by mentorship, developing new leaders who will continue advancing the mission-driven work he has championed throughout his career.
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